Electric generator.



I. M. WILSON. ELECTRIC GENERATOR. PPLXCANON FlLED OCT. 8, 1915.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917 INVENTOR. JAW-:5 M.. W1

LAON. fxy ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. 'WILSON, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO SPLITDORF ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Original application led April 17, 1914, Serial No. 832,539. Divided and this application filed October 8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. lVrLsoN, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric generators used for both ignition and lighting work in which the current for both uses is generated within the machine and delivered to the spark plugs or ignition devices of an internal combustion engine as Well as to the lamps and battery of the vehicle to which the generator is attached.

This application is a division of my c'opending application, Serial N o. 832,539, filed April 17, 1914, and has for one of its objects the development of a generator which is small and com )act and suitable for the replacement of t e magneto on a moving vehicle, particularly on a motorcycle. It is now customary to use electric lights on motorcycles, as well as on other moving vehicles and,means must, therefore, be provided for furnishing current for the lights and charging the storage battery as well as to provide ignition current for the engine sparking devices. lVhen a two cylinder engine is to be fired, a distributer is required as Well as a timer which has an associated member that is adjustable for the purpose of advancing and retardin g the spark.

Another object of my invention is to produce a single unit, having a. direct current generating rotor driven by gearing or other suitable means from a rotatable member which controls the current to the engine ignition devices.

The size of my single unit is held to a minimum by driving the direct current rotor or armature at a speed somewhat greater than the timer rota-table member, so that the battery will begin to charge at a relatively low speed of the engine driving the unit.

Other and further objects of my invention will be apparent to anyone skilled in the art from a consideration of the drawings and specification, in Which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my electric generator showing the timer rotatable member at the bottom and the direct current generating rotor or armature at the top.

Serial No. 54,702.

tion of the distributer spool broken away to v show the distributer segment.

Referring now particularly to the draw ings in which like numerals refer to corresponding parts in the various figures, 1 is a base of non-magnetic material to which are attached in any suitable manner, pole pieces (not shown) in the sectional elevation of Fig. 1 which is taken between opposite poles.

Attached in any suitable manner to the said pole pieces and to base 1 are two Inain end plates :2 and 3. Fastencd to the end plate 2 is a supplemental plate 55, which also carries an auxiliary plate l. A\ bearing 5 is mounted in end plate 2 and a bearing 6 is mounted in supplemental plate 55. Attached to end bearing plate 3 is a housing member 7, which carries bearing S. Another bearing 9 is carried by end plate 3. Supported between the bearings 6 and 9 is a r0- tatable member l0, which carries the usual high and low tension windings, indicated by 11. On one end of rotatable member l() is a distributor 12 which is shown more in detail in Figs. 3 and l. ()n the other end of the rotatable member l() is a timer consisting of a plate 15 upon which is mechanically mounted a contact block 1G but which is in sulated from the plate 15. Block 16 carries an adjustable contact 17' adapted to coperate with a mbvable Contact 18 carried by the breaker arxii 19, pivoted to the pin 20, that is fastened to plate 15. 21 is a friction wearing element carried by breaker arm 1-9 and is adapted to engage the cams 13 and 11i that are attached to the cam holder The primary winding of the rotatable member is connected in the usual manner to the two members 16 and 19 of the timer or circuit breaker. The operation of the primary through the timer is well understood and is fic of the collector spool l2 projects through the drivingend plate 3T of the rotatable member 10 for the purpose of protecting or insulating` the high tension lead from the driving end plate 37 which is securely 'fastened to thc driving shaft 38. 'lhe brush holders used Ylor supportingn brushes 23 and 2d are mounted in any suitable manner on the end plate 3 but in the sectional View shown these brush holders do not appear. lilovv'ever, it is understood that suitable conductors lead from these brush holders to the lgruters inv the engine cylinders.

Above the timer and ignition rotatable member l and mounted on bearings 5 and 8 is a direct current generatingl rotor all', having a commutator 39 inclosel Within the housing l. The brush holders carried by the/housing; 'l' in any suitable manner but in the sectionalfyiew do not appear. Goveringrn the housingl l and the brush hoiders to protect them 'trom dirt and Water. is a can d0. lor eyed to the shaft extension 33 of the rotor l? is a hub 2A, which is rigidly fixed to the inner race ot the radial bearingl so that the armature el may be readily removed Without disturbing; the gear .45, which is carried on the hub or Without disturbing bearing 5. The huh 3d. a plate l integral or securely Jfastened thereto and this plate carries studs ld 'to which biyoted the Weighted arms 25. lioosely mounted on :the shalt extension 33 is a sleeve 30., which is moved baclr and forth by the vweighted arms 25. lidounted in, the end of the sleeve is ball 2G., which runs against the itriction Wearing; plate 2l'. rhis friction Wearing; plate 2'? is attached to a movable spring' 28, which carries a contact 29. Mounted in any suitable-manner 'ithin the auxiliary plate Ll is a member lthat car ies a contact 32. idemers 25, 26, 30, Se, al@ and d8 constitute a centrifugal governor which operates in acm cordance to the sneed of the rotor l? to close and onen contacts and 32. l' will be understood that various modiiicatiorls latine* to the igovernor and i switch mechanisins just referred to are contemplated in my application previously referred to. Mounted on the timer and ignition meinlO is a rear all, which is adapted engafre lgear 45, so that when driving; 'power ris applied to shaft 38, the direct current rotor 4J( is operated/through the agency of the gears dll and d5. rlhese gears so chosen that the direct current rotor l? is driven at a higher speed than the rotatable member ll. li cap 4:1 is used to cover the direct current si'itehinef mechanism and a cap Ll2 held in `place b3' spring 43, is used to cover the circuit breai er or timer mechanism.

ils previously stated it is necessary to regulate the amount of' current delivered bythe machine and one form for doing" this is shown in his'. l whereuin extension 49 oi one of the pole pieces is shown projectingr above the ton of the rotor e7. [l

shaped spring is mounted on the extension lll) and the one opposite thereto (not shown) by screws 51. The top portion ,ot the spring carries a keeper 52, which spans the said pole extensions and is thereby acted on in ac cordance with the magneticV flux carried by them. in adjustment ofthe keeper 52 is provided by the screw 53 and loclr nuts 54, so that the air ,aan between the keeper 52 and the pole extensions meet the necessary operating conditions. lily application ,hereinbelore referred to describes and claims this and other means for regulating the current and it will not be described further herein.

llfhile ll have shown a distributer for a two cylinder engine, it will be understood tirata ring; suitable tora four cylinder engine mayv be used, such changes in the end plate 8 beine,I made to accommodate such a distributor ring.

Modifications oi' this character as Well as others will be apparent to anyone skilled in the art and are believed to come Within the spirit of the invention andthe scope o the appended claims.

tlaving; thus described my invention, what claim is :-v

l. rin electric generator, including in combination, a timer rotatable member, a direct current generating rotor and gearing connecting said timer rotatable member and the shaft or' said rotor, whereby said rotor is driven at a higherrate of speedl than said timer rotatable member, said parts forming single unit.

in 'electric generator havingra iu combination, a timer rotatable member, a direct current generating rotor, gearing connectingr said tuner rotatable member and the shaift oit' said rotor, whereby said rotor is driven at a higher` rate oi speed than said timer rotatable'uiember and an adjustable timing device adapted to cooperate with said timer rotatable member ltor the purpose oi' producing electrical impulses at stated intervals.

3. ein electric generator, vincluding in coi'nbination, a' rotatable member, ignition timing' mechanism operated by one end of said rotatable member, the other end of said rotatable member adapted to receive Suitable can be adjusted tov driving means, bearings for supporting said rotatable. membei` between said driving end and said ignition timing mechanism, a second shaft, bearings supporting said last named shaft at its end, and a generating rotor carried by said second shaft.

l. An electric ignition generator including in combination, a timer rotatable member. a generating rotor, geared to said timer rotatable member and driven thereby, and a distributer having its revolving part attached to Said timer rotatable member and adapted to connect the ignition circuit successively with the various cylinders of an internal combustion engine.

5. An electric ignition generator, including the combination with a timer rotatable member, an adjustable timing member, a direct current generating rotor and bearings therefor, bearings for Said vrotatable member, a support for said adjustable timing member and field windings disposed. on epposite sides of said 'timer rotatable member.

6. An electric ignition generator, includ ing the combination With a timer rotatable s member, an adjustable timing'mem'beiga di` rect current generating rotor, bearings for said rotatable member and said rotor, an automatic switching device restponsive to the Speed of Said rotor for controliing the cur- 3 rent therefrom, eoinmutator brushes and brush holders for collecting current from said rotor, a cover to protect said brush holders, a cover to protect said switching mechanism operated by said rotor. and a cover for protecting said timing mechanism.

1n witness whereof, I aliix my signature.

JAMES M. Winsen. 

